25. Alex Smith

Alex Smith was playing tremendous football before his injury and subsequent benching in favor of Colin Kaepernick.

Smith is undoubtedly the best "backup" QB in the NFL. Should anything happen to Kaepernick, San Francisco can take comfort in the fact that it can turn to a guy with tons of starting experience and who has taken plenty of reps with the starting unit.

Smith may not be the explosive playmaker that Kaepernick is, but he is consistent and has proven he can move the chains and put points on the board.

21. Michael Crabtree

Perhaps no player on the 49ers roster has benefited more from the QB change than Michael Crabtree.

Floundering under the Alex Smith regime, Crabtree has become the top target for Kaepernick over the last several weeks.

He has six touchdowns over the last five weeks and has added 420 receiving yards in that time. Crabtree does not have elite speed, but he is adept at getting separation from defenders and creating space.

Sure hands and smart route running are great ways to become an elite wideout in this league.

19. Mike Iupati

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Offensive guards rarely get noticed unless they are committing some kind of penalty.

However, 49ers guard Mike Iupati is one of the best in the business at what he does. Iupati is an absolute road-grader on running plays, but can also stand his 6'5", 331-pound frame up and hold off rushers in passing situations.

Iupati made the Pro Bowl for a reason. He will need to protect Kaepernick and excel when asked to pull or move the pocket to help the offense move the ball downfield.

Smith is simply not a dominant pass-rusher without Justin Smith lined up opposite him. However, when the duo is on the field, Aldon becomes a lethal force off the edge. He can quickly get past any offensive tackle and accelerates better than most.

If he were better in run defense, Smith would be much higher on this list.

14. NaVorro Bowman

NaVorro Bowman often gets lost in the 49ers' defensive shuffle, but he is a great linebacker who deserves more recognition and praise.

Bowman is a sideline-to-sideline presence that can make any tackle and is unafraid to put his body on the line to make plays.

Bowman recorded 149 tackles this season and earned a backup Pro Bowl berth. While focus in the Super Bowl is mostly on Aldon Smith, Justin Smith and Patrick Willis, Bowman will have a great chance to make an impact.

13. Donte Whitner

For some reason, it feels like Whitner has been in the league forever, but he is only 27 years old and entering his physical prime.

Like Goldson, Whitner is a Pro Bowl selection and a tough man to beat in the secondary. With deceptive speed and a small but strong 5'10", 208-pound frame, Whitner made 83 tackles this season and had one interception.

He has been relatively quiet of late and is due for a big game at some point. Why not the Super Bowl?

11. Colin Kaepernick

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Colin Kaepernick did not play his best football against the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers signal-caller mustered just 233 yards passing and added a mere 21 more rushing yards.

However, there is no denying his versatility and skill. What Kaepernick did to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round is still fresh in everyone's minds. His 444 total yards and four touchdowns in that contest put the league on notice.

Kaepernick has one of the strongest arms in the league, can accelerate quickly once he decides to run and has made few mistakes in the postseason.

He may have only made nine starts in his career, but Kaepernick is the most dangerous weapon in the Super Bowl.

7. Torrey Smith

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Which Torrey Smith will show up in the Super Bowl?

Unfortunately, there are two versions of Smith: the dynamic playmaker who stretches the field vertically and causes secondaries to spread across the field; and the guy who disappears for quarters, halves and sometimes entire games.

When he is on his game, few players can be as dynamic as Smith. He and quarterback Joe Flacco have developed a tremendous chemistry of late, resulting in two touchdowns in the divisional round against the Denver Broncos.

That player deserves the seventh spot in these power rankings. The other guy wouldn't even make this list.

5. Vernon Davis

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Vernon Davis answered the critics in a big way in the NFC Championship Game. Some had questioned whether he and Kaepernick would ever develop a decent connection, but those doubts have been resoundingly silenced.

Davis accumulated five catches for 106 yards in the contest. He became the safety valve that Kaepernick needed and found seams over the middle of the field and on out routes near the sidelines.

A 6'3", 250-pound frame allows Davis to create mismatches against most linebackers, and his first step is too quick for most defenders to adjust.

Davis has underrated blocking ability and will be a sexy "X-factor" pick heading into Super Bowl Sunday.